


This is completely doable. Ish.

by chrysalisdreams



Series: Five Scenes that Could Have Happened in TBEA (And One That Did Not) [2]
Category: Tangled (2010), Tangled: The Series (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen, One Shot, Spoilers, Tangled Before Ever After, five things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-17
Updated: 2017-03-17
Packaged: 2018-10-06 10:43:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10332884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chrysalisdreams/pseuds/chrysalisdreams
Summary: Cassandra's point of view from the welcoming ceremony to just after the boat scene.Tangled: The Series





	

Cassandra wouldn’t admit when she was in over her head. Her father, the Captain of Corona’s guard, however, had no hesitation in telling her that she wasn’t up to a task. After Princess Rapunzel’s unfettered behavior and lack of shoes during the welcoming ceremony, the Captain took Cassandra aside for another round of the dressing down she had received several times since she became Rapunzel’s lady-in-waiting. Only this time, there was a real sense that she was getting the litany of her shortcomings for the last time. Next time, she would be hearing that she was off princess detail… and that would mean the end of any kind of guard duty, ever.

Cassandra suffered the criticism. What else could she do? She kept her chin up and her shoulders square, like a soldier, during his berating speech to her about how it was her duty to the kingdom to provide guidance for the princess, and how the princess would of course be forgiven any error, but that the blame would be on Cassandra, and by extension, on Cassandra’s family. She answered in agreement and obedience when he asked the usual questions, the ones where there was only one right answer, no matter how Cassandra felt about it.

And when he dismissed her, she found the first unoccupied room in the castle, locked the door, and cried until she stopped feeling like a child after an unfair scolding. Once that sentimentality was out of her system, she cleaned herself up and went looking for Rapunzel.

She already knew all of Rapunzel’s favorite places. In fact, she thought she knew Rapunzel better than the princess knew herself. Cassandra was already heading to the quiet dock where small boats were kept, anticipating Rapunzel would be there. She didn’t need the all-too-familiar cajoling tones of Fitzherbert’s voice echoing across the water to tell her where Rapunzel had gone, but the sound of Eugene speaking at length confirmed that Cassandra had surmised acurately. The man was in love with the sound of his own voice, Cassandra was sure of it. She didn’t know which was worse, though: when he babbled over something incoherently like an excited kid, or when he used a suave delivery to drop romantic sap all over Rapunzel.

Cassandra didn’t back down, and she wasn’t afraid of a challenge. When she couldn’t face them head on, she came at them sideways, at their blind spots. For example, she couldn’t change being a young woman, but she wouldn’t let that hold her back from her drives and her dreams. She knew how others saw her, or rather, how they didn’t see her at all. As a woman, she was easily ignored. As a well-behaved, correctly dressed, and silent woman, she was effectively invisible. She used that underestimation to her advantage.

Unseen while she walked up, she watched Rapunzel and Eugene together. Fitzherbert had an ability to put light in Rapunzel’s eyes like no one else could. The princess was too dependent on him. When he entered a room, he had all of her attention. She had picked up a lot of his mannerisms, just the way she sometimes phrased things in an exaggerated, showy way. She wasn’t any good at it, though, and what worked for Fitzherbert only worked for Fitzherbert. The ingratiating “Mind if I call you Jimmy?” she had thrown at Lt. Commander General James Rutherford Carver III was a mimick of Fitzherbert’s performance charm, but it had only served to insult the nobleman. Cassandra hated it when Rapunzel did ridiculous things like that, and hated it more that she could see the influence. Rapunzel needed to be herself, not a pantomime of anyone else.

He shouldn’t even be alone with her. She knew the thoughts Rapunzel had about him. When Rapunzel had needed answers, it had been Cassandra standing by to explain how things really happened between lovers and clear up Gothel’s nonsense. Men were trouble enough in truth; exaggerating their urges was gilding the lily.

Cassandra stepped out of the shadows just as he and Rapunzel started to lean in toward each other for lip contact. “Time to go!” she called out, startling them both. Rapunzel pulled in to herself, the way Cassandra knew she would. To her deep satisfaction, Fitzherbert jumped back and went over the side of the boat. 

Her biggest problem was that she was accustomed to winning. She could best most men in a fight, with various weapons or bare handed. Those she couldn’t fight, she could outwit any day without second thought. At least, all that had been true until Eugene Fitzherbert came to the castle. He had made a bad first impression on Cassandra, her first day at Rapunzel’s side, and she had put him on her special list that same day when he made a quip at her expense. She guessed that he had meant it to be friendly. He thought he was funny.

“How’s that water feeling, Fitzherbert?” Cassandra asked when he came up, sputtering. She silently laughed off his expected comeback. The man had something to say to everything. Oh, but she enjoyed the look of his discomfort! He had had luxury in spades since his hero’s welcome; a dunking was overdue. 

She reached a hand out to her charge. “Come on, Rapunzel,” she said to the princess, “it’s time to head in. You don’t want to be exhausted for tomorrow.” Rapunzel took her hand and stepped up onto the dock. 

Rapunzel brightened. “Right! My morning off!” The sound of Rapunzel’s laugh, part relief and part happy anticipation, pulled a smile at the corner of Cassandra’s lips.

Rapunzel was capable of stepping up without help. She had athletic strength, grace, and balance, but acted as if she might clumsily misstep at any moment. She didn’t refuse a helping hand when offered; she deferred to the strongest personality in the room.

And that was the problem with Fitzherbert, who Cassandra left hanging off the side of the row boat while she led Rapunzel away. Cassandra couldn’t keep Rapunzel physically away from him any more than she did, but her campaign of turning his influence away from Rapunzel and replacing it with her own was effective.

“What happened today, Raps?” Cassandra asked earnestly, toning her question with sympathy to cover her frustration. “We were doing so well until the last few days. What happened to your shoes?”

Rapunzel looked at the ground as they walked. It was dark, but Cassandra knew Rapunzel would be biting her lower lip in consternation. “I only took them off for a moment. I just needed to feel the ground under my feet. But then I forgot. I’m sorry.”

“You have to keep your shoes on. You have a checklist, remember?”

Rapunzel nodded.

“I guess you have a lot on your mind,” Cassandra said. “Feeling the pressure, with the coronation coming up?”

“I guess that’s it,” Rapunzel agreed.

“Well, tomorrow is going to do you a world of good. We can start out early. We’ll get breakfast in the marketplace--”

“Cass,” Rapunzel interrupted her. 

Cassandra was so surprised that she immediately went on alert. Then she saw Rapunzel’s submissive posture and relaxed. Whatever Rapunzel was about to say must be important, Cassandra thought, because otherwise she would never have interrupted.

“I… want tomorrow to be just me, by myself,” she said with a little iron under her hesitation.

Wanting to encourage that iron, Cassandra only asked, “Are you sure?”

Rapunzel relaxed further. The slump disappeared out of her shoulders. “I’m sure,” she said.

“No Eugene?” Cassandra asked.

“No Eugene.” Rapunzel shook her head. “Just me. I want to walk through town and act like a regular person. A real break from being princess.”

“Raps, you never really get to stop being a princess,” Cassandra advised.

“I know,” Rapunzel sighed. “You’re right. It will be nice to have a day where I don’t have to second guess myself, trying to remember all the rules, though. And just talk to people. Eat a cupcake. Without anyone looking over my shoulder.”

“Well, you have a good time,” Cassandra said. They had arrived at Rapunzel’s rooms, collecting a small swarm of ladies’ maids that would dress the princess for bed and sleep.

“You deserve a day off, too,” Rapunzel said. She gave Cassandra a helpless, apologetic smile.

Cassandra truly hoped that Rapunzel’s day off would ease the girl enough that they could get back on track again. Too much was riding on the coronation going off without a hitch. Cassandra would glue the shoes onto Rapunzel’s feet, if she had to. If it came to that. She would do whatever needed to be done.

“Aw, don’t worry about me,” Cassandra said. “Now get to sleep, and enjoy your play day tomorrow. I’m sure getting outside is just what you need.”

**Author's Note:**

> Anyone who follows my tumblr may know that I don't like Cassandra, because I think she's doing a bad job and because I question her motives. But she's an interesting, complex character. I hope I've given her a fair shake in this vignette.


End file.
